The new clothes at home were already finished.
This year was a rare occasion for the young ladies of the Xu family to wear cloaks made of sable fur when going out to worship the Bodhisattva. Everyone in the Xu household was filled with joy and festivity.
Even Madam Xu was all dressed up. This year, she wore a lined jacket made of the latest floating-light brocade, with a peacock-feather cloak draped over her shoulders — dazzling and radiant.
She had originally felt a little uneasy. Before heading out, she even specially asked Xu Huan, “Today is the third day of the New Year — we’re going up the mountain to worship the Bodhisattva and offer incense money. All the respectable ladies in the capital will be there. Is it really appropriate for us to be dressed like this?”
Over the years, the women of the Xu family had always been known for their frugality and simplicity.
Yet no one ever looked down on them. Everyone knew that Xu Huan was famous in the capital for his incorruptible conduct.
He never attended banquets or gatherings held by others.
Because once you eat someone else’s food, you’re more or less obliged to return the favor.
Lord Xu was upright and unwilling to take advantage of others, so he always kept a strict distance from such things.
And the more he did this, the more people believed in his noble character.
Because his reputation was spotless, the family naturally had to match that image.
These past years, Madam Xu and the children at home dressed plainly and never spent lavishly.
Now, going out in such extravagant attire was bound to attract attention.
Seeing his wife’s nervousness, Xu Huan simply chuckled and said with indifference: “What are you saying? Clothes are made to be worn — of course you can wear them. Go ahead and wear them boldly. Go!”
Madam Xu beamed with joy and happily led the children out.
As soon as they left, Xu Huan sat down in the round-backed armchair, closed his eyes, and tapped his fingers on the table. His expression turned cold as he called out: “Someone, come in!”
With a creak, the door opened. An old servant entered, bowed respectfully, and said, “My lord.”
Xu Huan took a token out of the drawer and handed it to him, eyes downcast. “Tell them — if they can’t kill that woman and retrieve the account books, then don’t bother coming back to see me.”
Though the Embroidered Uniform Guard had not yet searched the Qi residence, with Xu Xinqiao dead, Xu Huan didn’t even need to think to know — those forged account books had surely already been dealt with by the Qi family.
But as for Qi Yuan — what exactly had she managed to get out of Xu Xinqiao before he died?
What had she obtained?
Still, none of that mattered.
As long as she was dead, it would be as if nothing had ever happened. Everything would return to the way it was.
The spotless reputation he had built over all these years — no one would be allowed to ruin it.
The room grew silent again. The old servant bowed deeply once more and promptly turned to leave.
On the third day of the New Year, the Xu residence — which should have been bustling with visitors — was unusually quiet.
But this was something people were already used to.
Everyone knew that Lord Xu neither accepted nor gave gifts.
He leaned back in his chair, feeling somewhat weary, and thought of his nephew Xu Xinqiao. His heart ached.
His nephew had died far too horribly — burned alive in the courtesan’s room on New Year’s Day.
Not even a complete corpse could be found.
Just thinking about it made him want to tear Qi Yuan into pieces.
But it wouldn’t be long now, he thought.
Suddenly, he felt something move in the room.
As if something had flashed past him.
But when he focused and looked carefully, there was nothing there.
Could it be that his grief had made him delirious?
It wasn’t impossible — after all, Xinqiao was his elder brother’s posthumous son.
What use was all the money in the world if someone died?
How could he face his older brother in the afterlife?
Once this matter was resolved, he would need to look into whether Xinqiao had any lovers outside… and whether he had left behind a child.
If there was one, then they’d just raise him properly.
If there wasn’t, then they’d have to find a way to pick one from the clan and adopt him, to continue the incense and offerings to the ancestors.
He was just lost in thought when he suddenly heard the sound of breathing by his ear.
Breathing!
But he was the only one in the room!
In that instant, Xu Huan felt goosebumps crawling all over his body. He froze completely, stunned, and instinctively began to turn his head.
But just as he was about to turn, a dagger silently pressed against his neck.
Then, he heard a soft chuckle.
It was clearly a young, lively girl’s voice—just like how his daughter would sound when she was being affectionate with him.
But at this moment, there was no way he could believe this was anyone being affectionate!
In order to appear upright and incorruptible, his residence was rented. Since even his house was rented, of course he didn’t keep many servants at home—much less any guards.
All his guards were housed across the street, in another residence registered under someone else’s name.
At this moment, distant water couldn’t put out a nearby fire.
In that split-second of danger, a flash of insight struck him and he blurted, “Qi Yuan?!”
Of course!
A woman who kills—who else could it be but Qi Yuan?!
At that thought, his heart thumped violently, and a chill ran down his spine.
He had just sent assassins to kill Qi Yuan… and now she was here?
Then—did his men walk right into thin air?
Worse yet, Qi Yuan was actually capable of killing!
She…
Qi Yuan let out a light laugh. “Lord Xu reacts quickly. Much quicker than your nephew, that’s for sure. No wonder you were able to become the Shilang of the Ministry of War.”
That wasn’t a compliment.
Xu Huan swallowed nervously and shivered involuntarily.
But he quickly calmed down again.
Panic was useless. He’d heard how swift and clean Qi Yuan was when she killed. If he made even the slightest mistake now, it could really be the end of him.
This woman didn’t care who she killed.
He steadied his emotions and said in an even tone, “Miss Qi, let’s speak frankly. Given the situation right now, you can’t kill me. If you do, the Qi family will never be able to clear their name, wouldn’t you agree?”
Qi Yuan chuckled softly. “Lord Xu is indeed clever. That’s right. I can’t kill you. If you die, suspicion on the Qi family would only deepen. People would think it was my grandfather or father who killed you and Xu Xinqiao to silence you.”
No matter how quick-witted Xu Huan was, he still felt a little muddled at this point.
Since Qi Yuan knew everything—then why was she here now?
As if reading his mind.
Qi Yuan dragged the dagger across Xu Huan’s neck, leaving a shallow cut. Xu Huan cried out in pain.
Only then did she say coolly, “I’m here, of course, to avoid your little plan to silence me. Sure, I could have killed the assassins you sent after me right then and there, but… it’s one thing for people to privately suspect I can kill. It’s another to publicly reveal that I’m a martial artist who kills without blinking. That wouldn’t sound so good, now would it?”
…
Xu Huan couldn’t help grinding his molars.
What did she mean by this?
She came just to mock him? To prove not only that she could dodge his assassination attempt, but also that she could expose his trusted assassins one by one—and still keep her own abilities under wraps?
This woman was like a cunning snake! You never knew what she’d do next, yet she always seemed to predict your every move!
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